The Ties that Bind
by DMarEssence
Summary: Kakashi's never been much of a role model, that is until he accidentally ends up with a child of his very own! Shirei was raised in the badlands of the Mist, an orphan at age six. What can these two renegades teach each other? Kakashi/OC/Naruto friendship
1. Out of the Mist

Alrighty, so if you already didn't know, I used to be a Quizilla junky, but that whole thing went to hell in a handbasket, so I'm re-posting some of my more reputable material here!

This particular story happens to be Kakashi/OC/Naruto friendship! Nothing weird my friends, check the rating!

Tell me what you think, and yes, I know that Haku is a boy... I just found it easier that Shirei didn:t know for my own purposes.

* * *

The waves quietly washed over the destroyed remnants of the tiny rowboat that had been trying to escape the Land of the Waves. The government couldn't care less who came and who went, however, the leading business magnate of the small island country, Gato, would suffer from the secrets Shirei and her family carried out of the isolated island wasteland, and so, he disposed of them. Numerous unnamed thugs had caused the boat to crash upon the rocks, killing Shirei's parents, and leaving Shirei homeless, but free from the clutches of Gato and his undeniable influence. Now, however, Shirei was stranded apart from all she knew. Alone and afraid, she took refuge in an abandoned boat house until one day, she was discovered by an unlikely duo.

"Hey, you alive kid?" the imposing voice of a man woke the small girl from her sleep. Brushing her long, light brown hair away from her face, and rubbing the sleep from her tantalizing and innocent brown eyes, Shirei sat up to greet the disturbance. Upon sight of two Mist ninja huddling around her in the boat house, Shirei backed up and cowered into the corner. The man scoffed at the small girl, and backed away and out of the boat house, sensing her distress. The other, a young woman with long black hair and kind eyes reached out her hand.

"He won't hurt you, and neither will I. Is this where you live?" the woman asked, and Shirei cautiously nodded her head. The woman glanced sadly over her shoulder to her companion, a tall and lean, tan skinned man with wrappings around his face and a large katana. Shirei was unconvinced. The woman laughed at her perception of her companion and pulled Shirei to her feet.

"My name is Haku, and this is Zabuza. Will you come with us?" Haku asked politely, running one of her hands through the little girl's brown hair.

"I-I'm Shirei," the girl stammered, a smile winking at the corners of her cracked lips.

"Shirei? That's ironic," Zabuza laughed, seeing as the name Shirei meant commander and the small, stammering girl was anything but.

"Hey, kid, just stay outta my way, you got it?" Zabuza barked as Haku hoisted Shirei up on her shoulders and they bound through the grass and trees. Unfortunately, Shirei had no idea that they were planning to take her back to the very place that her parents had died to save her from.

"Where do you live okaa-san?" Shirei asked curiously as she smelled the distinctive sea-salt smell one only experiences when close to an ocean.

"On the island of the mist," Haku replied. Wrong answer, as far as Shirei was concerned. Squirming wildly, Shirei jumped from Haku's back and ran in the opposite direction, of course, she had no hope of outrunning the Hunter-nin. Surprisingly however, it was Zabuza who got to the girl first.

"Don't tell me you're scared," he growled, picking Shirei up with his free arm that wasn't holding his sword and hoisting her over his shoulder effortlessly.

"No! I can't go back there! That man will kill me!" she screamed and struggled, kicking against Zabuza's back and slamming her fists into his chest.

"I told you not to get it my way," Zabuza snapped, tossing the girl on the ground at Haku's feet. She scooped Shirei up instantly and began soothingly stroking her hair.

"There's no one trying to kill you Shirei," Haku smiled warmly and stared into Shirei's deep, brown eyes.

"But he killed my parents!" she sobbed, trying to pull out of Haku's arms and move away.

"Don't be such a baby," the sword carrying nin ordered as Shirei crossed her arms and looked defiant.

"Come on Shirei. I'd really like you to come live with me and otou-san," Haku whispered into the girl's ear.

"Don't call me that!" Zabuza interrupted, but Haku ignored his comment.

Haku waited patiently for a response from the child, though she knew at that age, children were indecisive and prone to acting out of what they knew, and as a child who, herself had been abandoned and orphaned at a young age, Haku understood what Shirei was feeling above all others. That is why Haku had resolved to be the small girls savior.

_... Because everyone deserves a second chance at happiness. _

* * *

"You didn't think we'd be living out here in the forest this whole time, did you? We have a home Shirei, and it's on the island in the Mist." After traveling with Haku and Zabuza for nearly three months, Shirei hadn't accepted that the two ninja actually had a place to call home.

"Okay, but only if you protect me, okay?" Shirei offered, holding her small, six year old arms up so that Haku could pick her up once again.

"Deal."

* * *

Over the next year, Haku had come to care for Shirei deeply, and Shirei for her. The small girl also reveled in the fact that, like Haku, her parent's had been taken from her when she was young. A deep bond formed between them while Zabuza watched impassive and ambivalent.

"Otou-san? I brought you something to eat," Shirei wobbled into the room carrying a tray and looked to where Zabuza was seated, running a damp cloth down the length of his sword. After a while, he simply accepted that the little girl needed parents, and allowed Shirei to address him as her father. Motioning with his hands for her to bring it forward, Shirei stumbled over and accepted the nod of his head as encouragement. About-facing to leave, the little girl paused at the sound of Zabuza's voice.

"What have you and Haku been doing during the day?" he asked monotonously, pushing the food aside for a moment while he finished his sword. A bucket filled with blood-stained water sloshed the liquid on the floor as Zabuza finished washing away the remnants of his work that day. A while ago, Shirei had come to learn that Zabuza was hired out as a mercenary, and lately had been serving to the beck and call of Gato, the one person she resented more than anything, even cats. She'd been avoiding him for the past few weeks because of it.

"W-we've been working on throwing! You wanna see?" Shirei asked anxiously, seeking approval from the only other person in her life she cared for. The man responded with a simple _Hmm_ that, in his own private way, meant: 'Sure, why not.' Rushing over to the table where Haku kept her throwing needles, Shirei pulled three from the pouch.

"M'kay, ready?" Shirei asked, although Zabuza didn't know why she bothered because he never answered. She proceeded anyway. Taking an old wanted poster from a job Zabuza had finished, Shirei tacked it up on the wall and poked a hole in the center to aim for. Standing back about twenty feet, she exhaled deeply before she threw the needles directly at the target. All three hit the paper, but only one of them stuck. Zabuza attempted to keep up his emotionless facade as he watched Shirei's embarrassment and dismay telegraph onto her young face.

"Che, I told Haku you wouldn't be able to thrown those things. Not until you bulked up a little." Zabuza made his way over to the target, ripped it down and picked up the needles. "Until you can lift my sword, you won't be strong enough to throw the needles. Work on something else," was the only advice the mercenary had to offer. Shirei, however, was not discouraged, and only nodded enthusiastically. Rushing over to where Zabuza was briefly, Shirei set to work picking up the huge sword, though it probably weighed close to 200 pounds. She halted her attempts, and feeling defeated, huffed slightly before leaving the room. Zabuza only shook his head concerned.

"That kid..." he sighed before picking his sword back up and sitting down.

A few weeks later, Zabuza had received a notice that he was to prohibit the passage of the four man-team from the leaf village from entering the Mist. And to assassinate some bridge maker by the name of Tazuna. Haku had insisted that she and Shirei come along to help in the event that Zabuza could not fulfill his mission. Zabuza, begrudgingly, agreed.

"Besides, that pansy needs to watch a real fight for once," Zabuza had said before they headed out. Shirei had trouble keeping up the whole way, and because of that, Zabuza got to the fight ages before Haku and the small girl. Thankfully, at that point, Zabuza had the upper hand. _I'm surprised the leaf village sent a handful of genin and one jounin on this A-ranked mission. Too bad though. No one can beat Zabuza,. _Haku held Shirei in the bushes until, with a surprising combination of cunning and speed, two of the three genin, a blonde in a bright orange jumpsuit and a boy with spiky raven colored hair pulled a fast one and caused Zabuza to free their jounin leader from the watery prison Zabuza had constructed. Holding back a gasp, Shirei's eyes were filled with concern as the Konoha jounin performed Zabuza's double water dragon jutsu alongside Zabuza with unimaginable perfection.

"Haku? Where is otou-san?" Shirei looked at Haku with pleading eyes before the hunter nin pulled her round, painted mask over her face and went to retrieve Zabuza's still body through the chaos of the tidal wave caused by the clashing of four water dragons. This time, on the way back to the house in the woods, Haku didn't wait for Shirei. Zabuza needed medical attention, and although Shirei should've known better, she'd never actually thought Haku cared for Zabuza more than she. A steady envy grew within the small girl, but the worry for her surrogate father was much deeper. Until she got lost in the woods.

"Okaa-san? Please come and find me! I'm lost!" Shirei cried out, rubbing the unfallen tears away from her eyes before she continued to stumble through the underbrush. She felt like she was going in circles, and before she knew it, she ran into a familiar group of people. The Konoha leaf ninja team that had thwarted Zabuza. Shirei attempted to disguise her presence by hiding behind a tree, but she'd already been spotted by the third genin; a long, pink haired girl with very good eye sight.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, who's that over there?" she asked, pointing to Shirei's hiding spot. In the blink of an eye, the jounin leader who'd taken down Zabuza appeared before her. It was almost nostalgic, Shirei's reaction. Like the first time she'd met Zabuza and Haku, the little girl's eyes became wide with dread and she made herself as small as possible, hoping to go unnoticed.

"She must live in the Mist village," the silver haired leader, Kakashi insisted. Before he spoke another word however, the leader collapsed in front of Shirei, and without another moment of thought, Shirei bolted from the scene. _That jounin would've killed me for sure! Please mommy! Come find me!_ Shirei's search was in vain, and before nightfall, she found herself following the Leaf ninja through the woods to the back porch of the bridge builder, Tazuna's house. But because of her lack on reconnaissance skills, she was quickly discovered once more by the jounin leader who had recovered quickly from the battle.

"I know you're out there," he welcomed gently, and although every bone in her body screamed against it, Shirei walked slowly out of the shadows and into the light of the porch where she stood with her eyes downcast.

"Are your parents around?" he asked, leaning on one of his crutches and gazing down at her with one grey eye.

"No. Mommy left after daddy got hurt. She'll be back for me. I think," Shirei explained, sitting on the porch beside the leaf nin who only sighed.

"I'm sure Tazuna won't mind one more house guest." _He's really friendly. But I better not tell him about Zabuza, or he might try to kill me,_ Shirei deduced, clambering up the stairs into the house after Kakashi and hunkering down in a bunk bed below the pink haired girl. She seemed harmless enough.

"EH? Sakura-chan! Who's sleeping in my bed?" the loud-mouthed, blonde ninja demanded, awakening Shirei from her peaceful sleep.

"What're you talking about? No one is-" Sakura swung her long pink head of hair down below the bunk to see Shirei's pretty brown eyes peeking over the covers. Her reaction, much like a frightened rabbit told her to bolt. So she hopped out of the bed, ran down the hallway and headed towards the ocean where she could follow it to the bridge. At least under the bridge it was safe and dry, and no one was trying to kill her.

"Are you still worried about the kid? She'll be fine. She lived on her own before we found her. She might look puny, but she's a hard ass," Zabuza croaked from his still position on the bed in their house in the woods. Haku glanced out the window at the darkening sky.

"I hope you're right."

Shirei woke up on the third day away from Haku. She was troubled. Had her second mother abandoned her too? Life was unfair like that. Commotion on the bridge above her, however, alerted her to danger. But this time, she wasn't going to run away. She wasn't a coward anymore. If she was going to protect her new family, she was going to have to face these things. Rushing up to the bridge, Shirei saw Haku enraptured in her signature jutsu, the wall of mirrors. Soon, however, the bridge was veiled in Zabuza's mist, and the battle was lost to Shirei, for she dare not get closer and have her precious mother lose concentration. However, the anticipation was killing her, so instead of running through the battle, little Shirei ran around it, sidling along the railings and down farther on the bridge to what she thought was safer territory. She was wrong. Stopping dead at the sight before her, Shirei thought she was imagining the scene before her. The gentle, silver haired jounin was running towards Zabuza with some strange combination of electricity and chakra. He was going to kill her father. Sprinting towards the scene, her eyes welling up with tears, hoping that she could stop him before he ran Zabuza through, Shirei found herself coming up short as Haku appeared out of the mist and took a straight blast from the Chidori. Zabuza remained untouched.

Blood spattered in every direction, and small flecks dotted Shirei's innocent face. She stood less that two yards from Kakashi, with a look of horror on her face. Just as she was about to grab onto Haku, who now stood motionless, impaled on the jounin's hand with her normally sweet, caring eyes turned cloudy with stillness, Zabuza had regained his senses and swung blindly at the three of them, without a thought of reconciliation about running Shirei or Haku through. Suddenly, Shirei felt an arm loop around her waist, holding her tightly to her mother as Kakashi lifted them out of harms way. That's when Shirei found she could no longer contain herself.

"Y-you killed my mommy," Shirei sniffled, tugging on Kakashi's pant leg to let him know she was talking to him. The look of betrayal and sadness that racked Kakashi's every fiber translated from Shirei's sweet brown eyes to his cursed red one. Before long, Shirei found herself slumped over Haku's body, her small, innocent hands elbow deep in blood. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks as she ignored the remainder of the fight. She felt empty, unclean, un-whole. Grief washed over her like a tidal wave and she merely sat with one hand in her lap, the other holding Haku's cold, pale hand. For Shirei, her whole world was crashing down again. It wasn't fair... then again, life wasn't fair.

The next hour flashed by without even a blink of recognition from Shirei. Finally, after damage control had taken care of the deceased Gato and had loaded Zabuza's mangled body into one of those dreaded black bags, the Konoha team finally acknowledged the girl, still slumped over the dead body of the Hunter nin.

"I can't believe that little girl only had those two. And now they're both dead. In one day," the pink haired, Sakura whispered. Slowly and carefully, Kakashi made his way toward the girl, prying her small, bloodied fingers from the body and lifting her pliable body away from the corpse. Her words however, still cut him to the quick. _"Y-you killed my mommy."_ Trying to dispel the image of the estranged child from his mind, he set her down beside Sakura, who grasped the little girl's hand comfortingly.

"We know about your parents Shirei, and there's nothing here for you now. If it's alright with you, we'll take you back to Konoha with us," Kakashi said calmly, watching as the girl's eyes traced him up and down with a bit of reverence. She nodded to his request, and soon, she was off.

* * *

Soooooo, please tell me what you think. If you didn't know, I pretty much never get reviews, so do that please! Criticism is always helpful!

DMar


	2. Adult vs Child

Second chapter... please review! AND, I'm not going to tell you I don't own Naruto or it's characters... because it's just plain obvious that I don't. Well, Shirei is actually mine, but whatev...

* * *

"Hokage-sama, a home must be found for this child," Kakashi confronted Sarutobi, the fifth Hokage of Konoha leaf village a few days after they'd arrived back.

"Well, our normal adoption program doesn't exactly have the right equipment to handle such a traumatized child. What do you suggest Kakashi?" There was a long pause as Kakashi mulled over all possible suggestions he could propose.

"I know little of child rearing but-" Kakashi thought back to the small girl whose eyes had clouded over with remorse and emptiness after the separation of her and the Hunter nin Haku.

"-But she needs a place to stay until we can find someone to adopt her properly."

"And no place is as safe as yours," the Hokage announced, pulling out a temporary custody form that he happened to have lying around, and signed his name and Kakashi's on the dotted lines. Handing the shocked jounin the document, Sarutobi held up his hand before the silver haired nin had time to protest.

"No ifs, ands, or buts about this Kakashi. Besides, this'll be good for you," the Hokage laughed.

"I don't see how this is funny," Kakashi quipped, crossing his arms as he stared at his own forged signature. _It's funny because I know the outcome of this whole ordeal, and it WILL be good for you Kakashi, I promise you that._ Before Kakashi left the office of the Third, he gave him a reassuring smile.

"Good luck!"

* * *

"So you ARE taking in that little girl, aren't you Kakashi-sensei! Oh, how sweet! She's so adorable!" Sakura giggled as Kakashi sighed.

"Only for the time being," Kakashi returned with a smile. How long he'd actually have to watch her, he didn't know.

"Aw, come on Kakashi-sensei! It'll be fun! You can even train her to be a super awesome ninja like me!" Naruto laughed, punching wildly into the air as Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You do have a good point Naruto. What're you going to do with Shirei during the days when you're with us? You'll have to find a baby-sitter! Oh my gosh, that is so cute!" Sakura released another fit of giggles, much to the dismay of her sensei. _These are all valid questions, however, I don't know the answer to any of them,_ Kakashi thought worriedly. What in the hell did he know about bringing up a child, besides his experience with genins? Life just wasn't fair sometimes.

"Kakashi-sensei-chan!" Shirei cried out as Kakashi arrived back at his apartment, sliding his jounin vest off and onto a chair as the little girl leapt into his arms. Surprised by the greeting, Kakashi cautiously embraced the child, stroking her back as she held on tight around his neck.

"Just Kakashi will do," he smiled uncomfortably, putting her back on her own two feet before she grabbed his hand.

"Are you my new daddy? 'Cause my old one wasn't very nice. Are we going to have a mommy like Haku? Can we please?" Shirei's innocent eyes tugged right at Kakashi's heart strings, and each time that honey colored gaze locked onto his, he could only remember the way she looked after he'd killed her caretaker. Thankfully, Shirei seemed to have adapted well after two weeks in Konoha, originally living at the hospital.

_I can't believe she's accepted me as her guardian so soon after her trauma. I only wonder what happened to her real parents that she'd want to block those memories out by accepting me,_ Kakashi wondered, glad that for some reason, this child held him in an unconditional and respectable esteem.

"Shirei, do you have anything to do while I'm away during the days?" the jounin sensei hoped that for some reason, this six year old would be mature enough to stay on her own for days at a time. Shirei shook her head.

"I don't have any toys," she whispered almost ashamed.

"No, it's fine. Here, why don't we go for a walk?" Kakashi asked, taking the small girl's hand and leading her out of the house and towards the one place he knew she'd feel at home.

"Is this that Mist girl you're looking after Kakashi? She's adorable," Umino Iruka, one of the teachers at the Konoha Ninja Academy mused, bending down to face Shirei at eye level.

"Don't I know it," Kakashi murmured in reply, crossing his arms as hordes of young ninja scurried about the halls of the school.

"Well Shirei, I'm glad you're interested, but do you know what it takes to be a ninja?" Shirei nodded fiercely before stating matter-of-factly:

"Toughness and muscle and money and chakra!" Iruka quirked an eye brow before standing up and whispering to Kakashi.

"I hope _you _didn't teach her that." Kakashi only sighed in response.

"Shirei, where did you hear that?" Kakashi glanced down at the little girl who only shrugged in response.

"Daddy used to tell me all the time."

"Which daddy?"

"Zabuza otou-san," she sighed, shuffling her feet. Iruka nodded in understanding. The girl had been raised by a wanted bandit mercenary. Hopefully they could coerce any more thoughts like that out of her head before it stuck.

"Alright, well, she's a little young, but there's not time like the present to begin your training, huh Shirei?" Iruka smiled, reminding the small girl briefly of her first meeting with Haku. Shirei smiled in response.

"Mhm."

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow, okay Shirei?" Iruka finalized, waving to Shirei and Kakashi as they headed off towards no where in particular. _Iruka's great with kids! I don't know how I'm going to keep up with this girl, _Kakashi sighed, picking up the little girl suddenly and poofing her home.

* * *

The scraping noise at the door alerted Kakashi of a possible intruder. Pulling the kunai out from under his pillow, he slinked to the door that was slightly ajar, revealing a tall, alluring shadow standing in the hallway. He didn't sense any sort of threat, but instead of letting his guard down, he silently made his way into the kitchen where he heard pots and pans clanging around before a sudden crash announced danger. Stepping into the dim light of the moon sneaking through parted curtains, Kakashi made his presence known.

Shirei squeaked at his quick advance towards her and fell from her perch on the counter where she almost landed on the remains of shattered pottery. Thankfully Kakashi realized early that no one was breaking into his house. It was a resident that was shuffling and snooping about his kitchen, in search of something to eat. Shirei had found the cereal and one of three ceramic bowls, however, her attempt to leave the lights off and not disturb her guardian had caused the milk to miss the bowl and splatter her findings on the floor. Instead of landing on the mess as she expected, Shirei found herself in Kakashi's arms. Wincing from the piece of shattered bowl fragment in his bare foot, Kakashi looked at Shirei sternly through both eyes.

"Shirei, what were you doing up this late?" he asked accusingly, shaking the broken ceramic out of his foot. Instead of responding, Shirei pulled her knees up to her chest and made herself as small as possible.

"Your eye is scary," she remarked quietly, referring to his revealed Sharingan that he normally left uncovered for bed. Closing it subconsciously, Kakashi leaned over Shirei and sighed before picking her up and bringing her back to her room.

"Wait! Don't leave me there! I'm scared," Shirei pleaded, her warm eyes practically glowing in the dark. _How could I have been so stupid? Children barely sleep in their own beds, let alone unfamiliar ones! Now what do I do?_

"Would you like me to stay up with you?" he asked, gritting his teeth against the gentle pull of sleep.

"No, it's okay," she smiled. It wasn't before Kakashi had returned to his own bed that he realized the little girl had followed and tucked herself in beside the jounin. As much as he'd have liked to complain, Kakashi accepted the little girl snuggling under his arm, and quickly fell back to sleep, without a kunai this time.

The next morning, Kakashi assisted Shirei in making a proper bowl of cereal before he dropped off his small charge at the academy with Iruka and limped of to meet his team.

"Kakashi-sensei, what happened to you?" Sakura asked concerned as he arrived at the bridge the usual hour late.

"I saved a child from falling on glass and ended up stepping on some myself-"

"Liar- oh wait, was it Shirei?" Naruto accused, pulling himself into a cross legged position on the bridge's railing.

"Of course, you idiot. Who else would it be?" Sasuke scoffed, pushing his unbalanced, loud-mouthed teammate into the river water. Naruto came up sputtering.

"Well, I hope it's going alright with you two. Last time I saw Shirei she seemed pretty happy. You two are good for each other," Sakura winked before continuing to fawn over Sasuke.

"You sound like the Hokage," Kakashi muttered, crossing his arms as Naruto clambered out of the water and confronted Sasuke. _I just hope I don't screw this up._

* * *

"So Shirei! You're a little young to be in my class, so you can sit by my desk if you want while I teach. Is that okay?"

Shirei nodded mindlessly and tugged a coloring book the Third Hokage had given her before she left to live with Kakashi. All day, she sat, listening to Iruka teach his older students about the refinement of chakra concentration. Shirei absorbed everything, and during recess, attempted some of the beginner jutsus that another teacher had given to her. They were simple, only used for accessing and assessing one's Chakra level, and Shirei was determined to test them out. Sitting beneath a tree, Shirei attempted to access her chakra, and only ended up giving herself a headache from the concentration. Shortly after, Iruka came over to inspect her findings.

"So, Shirei, how's it going?" he asked, nonchalantly, plopping down beside the girl in the grass.

"Fine," she murmured, taking in a deep breath before sighing.

"I'm sorry for lying," she looked up at the teacher with eyes brimming with tears. "I can't do it! N-no matter what, I can't access or even sense my chakra, and t-that means I can't be a ninja, right?" the little girl choked as a tear dripped down her face.

"Shirei, you're still very young-"

"NO! I-it's not that! Please don't tell Kakashi otou-san!" she pleaded, staring up at Iruka with those adorable brown eyes.

"Shirei-chan, you're being over dramatic. Besides, what does it matter if Kakashi knows you can't access your chakra?" The girl looked away ashamed.

"He could throw me out," she whispered, forcing Iruka to strain his ears to hear her. _WHAT? Where did she get that notion? Must be her strange upbringing with those criminals. _"My old daddy said if you weren't a ninja, you weren't worth shit," she stated, not seeming to know just how loud or weirdly she spoke.

"Well don't listen to him," Iruka affirmed, trying to set the little girl straight. There was a pregnant pause as the girl collected her thoughts. Iruka laid his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I have an idea. There are some people I want to introduce you to. I don't have to work during lunch tomorrow, so I'll take you to meet them," Iruka smiled. He was so warm and caring. _Like Haku okaa-san._

"Who are they?" Shirei asked interested as she scooted closer to Iruka, as if to absorb the knowledge he was about to share.

"Old students. I think you'll like them."

* * *

"See you tomorrow Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto announced after the end of their training session. It was now four thirty in the afternoon, and Kakashi had no worries or cares or... hmm, why did _three_ o'clock seem to ring such a bell? _Oh well. Couldn't have been that important, otherwise I would've remembered it-_

A few seconds later, Kakashi was running.

"Don't worry Shirei-chan! I'm sure Kakashi is just running late!" Iruka reassured Shirei as they sat on the steps of the academy. Even though it was policy for a teacher to remain until the last student had left, Iruka felt compelled to do the job, even though Shirei was technically not a student. He couldn't simply leave her to face the harsh elements of life, especially since she hadn't had a real home in so long. It was now four o'clock, and Iruka had no idea where Kakashi was, though he kept reassuring the girl.

_This is just like what happened with Haku okaa-san... she left... and never came back!_ Although Shirei was tempted to cry out her frustrations and fears, she held them inside, wanting to appear stronger for Iruka-sensei, who looked apprehensive.

Four o'clock rolled around and still no sign of Kakashi. Shirei had long since gotten over the fact that Kakashi wasn't coming and decided to walk home. Of course, she'd only been to Kakashi's house once, and that was by teleportation. She honestly had no idea where it was, but she hoped that if Iruka thought she did, he'd release her. Besides, she concluded, it wasn't _his_ fault Kakashi had abandoned her. Although Iruka looked suspicious at first, he dismissed her and pointed towards the town.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright Shirei-chan?" he called after her as she hastily walked out of the courtyard of the academy and headed to who knows where.

Five minutes later, Kakashi poofed onto the scene, looking desperate, worried, and out of breath.

"W-where is Sh-shirei?" he gasped, leaning against the fence post and looking straight at Iruka across the grass.

"Anou... she said she was walking home," Iruka slapped his hand quickly to his forehead as he said this, knowing he'd made a mistake.

"She doesn't know where I live," Kakashi cursed himself, straightening up and asking Iruka which direction she went.

"It was only five minutes ago. She couldn't have gone far," Iruka announced, rushing towards Kakashi as they separated to look for Shirei. After no more than a few seconds, Kakashi spotted Shirei ahead of him, and called Iruka off the search.

"I won't say anything about it today Kakashi. Just try to be on time tomorrow, ne?" Iruka scolded before poofing back to the academy. Kakashi heaved an audible sigh that caused the little brown haired girl to turn. Her eyes became wide with astonishment and she quickly about-faced and ran at Kakashi full speed, ramming into his legs and jarring the jounin slightly.

"Kakashi! I thought you died! I'm so glad you came back and didn't leave me!" At this surprising response to his tardiness, Kakashi decided to teach Shirei his address. And teach her to use a road map.

* * *

Pretty please Review!

DMar


	3. Unexpected Bonds

Third chapter in quick succession! Please tell me what you think, kay?

* * *

The next day at the Ninja academy, Shirei found herself anxiously awaiting Iruka sensei's break so that they could meet these friends of his. The anticipation was nearly killing the wide eyed six year old.

"Alright, Shirei, you ready to go?" he asked warmly, nodding his head towards the exit out of the courtyard and gesturing that it was time for them to hit the road.

"How far is it Iruka-sensei?" Shirei asked politely, scrambling along behind Iruka to keep up with his strides.

"Not too far. Just to the training grounds." Shirei nodded absent-mindedly. Shortly after, the training fields came into view and Shirei noticed the scants of ninjas that were unconsciously performing feats no normal human could do. No normal human like Shirei. The little girl's eyes flooded with sadness upon this recognition. She would never be a great ninja like any of these people.

"Who're we coming to see?" Iruka smiled once again.

"I'm glad you asked. They're right up there," Iruka pointed near a large tree decorated with targets and punching dummies. It wasn't until she got up closer that Shirei could see who she was waiting to meet. Unfortunately, the first impression stunned her.

"Maito Gai, I'd like you to meet a new student of mine, Shirei... uh-"

"Hatake!" the little girl added, winking at the chuunin sensei, who only shrugged.

"Hatake, eh?" Maito Gai, a tall, lithe man clad in a long sleeved, long legged green spandex jump suit with immense, caterpillar eye-brows and a hair cut that belonged in the seventies stroked his chin as he looked Shirei over.

"So you're related to my arch rival, Kakashi?" Gai didn't seem convinced.

"Not exactly," Iruka interjected, pulling Gai aside and whispering something hastily in his ear. Shirei only stood watching, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Shirei is only temporarily in Kakashi-san's custody. Until someone adopts her that is." Iruka glanced back at Shirei, who stood innocently waiting with her honey brown eyes fixed on the battle between the long brown haired boy with odd eyes, and the female member of team Gai. After deducing Iruka's determinedly hushed voice on the subject, Gai nodded.

"I take it the child doesn't know that?" a flash of sadness crossed Iruka's normally cheerful gaze as he watched Shirei's eyes that were so full of wonder at the very simplest of sparring matches.

"Unfortunately I don't think Kakashi has told her yet, but I'm not here to talk about that right now. Gai-san, I was wondering if perhaps you could do me a little favor. I'm skeptical as to whether or not Shirei has any chakra to speak of," Iruka paused, and his eyes darted about the training area, focusing on one particularly adamant genin who was fighting under Gai's command.

"AH, so you'd like to have Neji take a look at her eh? Well, he doesn't need to! A ninja in the springtime of youth is fit without chakra! Strength through trial and adversity, right Lee?" A clone of Maito Gai popped out from behind the tree with sweat from a hard work out streaming down his brow. Behind him the girl with two brown, Chinese style buns and a pink Chinese shirt stopped the sparring match momentarily and waved at Shirei.

"Iruka-sensei, who's this?" she asked excitedly, running over and excitedly giving Shirei the up and down. "Soo cute!" she squealed. Shirei, however, liked the attention.

"Gai-sensei! You called me?" Lee asked hyperactively, searching wildly for the reason his teacher would distract him from his training.

"Call Neji over here. We've got a little job to do," Gai whispered mysteriously. Lee nodded, and soon, all of team Gai was assembled.

"Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here?" Hyuuga Neji approached the group with his slightly aloof mannerisms and his eerie white eyes with an uncanny and useful ability.

"I need you to take a look at Shirei here and determine whether her chakra reserves are _fully developed,_" Gai added inconspicuously. Neji, however, didn't get the picture. He activated his Byakugan, a doujutsu (eye technique) with the power to see chakra within a person. After analyzing the little girl, which took no more than a few seconds, Neji returned his eyes to normal and looked from Iruka to Gai.

"She has no chakra to speak of-" Neji began, but was interrupted by Iruka gesturing for him to be quiet on the matter.

"Iruka-sensei, did we come so he could see my chakra? What is it white-eyes-san? What's wrong with me?" Shirei pleaded, hoping that she wouldn't become a failure because of her lack of chakra.

"Why there's nothing wrong with you! You're a perfect youth, 100 chakra free!" Maito Gai declared so loudly, the whole training grounds glanced over at the commotion. Shirei looked slightly confused at the spandex wearing sensei's enthusiasm.

"B-but I thought that... without chakra, that you can't be a ninja!" Shirei protested, flustered by the very prospect of not living up to her own expectations. However, Gai wasn't the one to defend himself. Rock Lee jumped to the chase instead.

"What lies are these that have been spreading! Shirei-chan! Hard work and determination alone can create and mold the perfect ninja you seek into reality! I will make sure of this!" Lee shouted. Once again, the whole grounds were staring.

"Shirei, this is Rock Lee. He was the one I wanted you to meet," Iruka said, introducing the little brown haired girl to the Gai clone, whose eyes watered up with tears unexpectedly.

"Shirei! If you follow in my footsteps, you too will become a supreme ninja!" That was all the confirmation that Shirei needed.

* * *

"How was school today, Shirei-chan?" Kakashi asked, after he'd picked Shirei up, only ten minutes late from the academy.

"Good!" Shirei exclaimed enthusiastically, holding her tiny fist up in the air to emphasize her point. _That pose oddly reminds me of someone..._ Kakashi squinted his eyes at the little girl before she gave him a thumbs up. This aroused even more suspicion within the silver haired jounin as he pulled the kunai out of his pockets and placed them safely above the refrigerator where prying, six year old hands couldn't reach.

"Hey Kakashi, are you in your springtime of youth?" Shirei asked offhandedly, pulling open a random cupboard and removing a box of cereal. Kakashi's eye twitched at the phrase.

"Shirei, what did you and Iruka-sensei discuss today?" the little girl, pulling out the supplies to make another bowl of cereal, took a seat at the table and rested her index finger on her chin in thought.

"Not much. He talked to scary spandex sensei a lot, and I talked with Lee-san about becoming the greatest ninja in the world," Shirei mused, looking up at her guardian to see his hand slapped against his forehead in defeat. _I'll never hear the end of this,_ Kakashi groaned. It was going to be a long evening, if all this girl spewed out of her young mouth was the enthusiastic gibberish he put up with from Gai (his eternal rival) on a day to day basis.

He could only hope it wore off soon.

"So, Shirei! You've been hanging out with Fuzzy-brows? He's pretty cool!" exclaimed Naruto as he walked Shirei home from her day at the academy.

"Uh huh! He's been teaching me how I can become the ultimate genius even though I don't have chakra!" Shirei smiled enthusiastically, earning a similar grin from Naruto.

"One day you'll be a great ninja! No doubt about it," he said, resting his palm on the little girl's hair and mussing it up with a good shake.

"Maybe I can grow up to be the hokage even!" she cheered, attempting to skip ahead, only to be caught by the arm by Naruto.

"No way! That's my job!" Naruto snipped, taking both Shirei's hands in his and swinging her back and forth as they meandered down the street. She giggled at his banter and turned around to egg him on.

"May the best girl win!" she laughed some more before Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Like a girl could ever become Hokage!" Just after the last laughs had been squeezed out of Shirei, Naruto lifted her light, six year old body over his shoulders, but abruptly fell to the ground face first once the girl was there.

"W-why are you so heavy?" he choked, spitting dirt and rocks out of his mouth as Shirei stepped off his back. With a sly smile, Shirei pulled up her pant's legs to reveal several sets of small weights, much like the ones that Lee himself wore to train. It increased body muscle, strength and agility.

"Crazy little kid," Naruto huffed, settling on just holding Shirei's hand as they approached Kakashi's house.

* * *

**Six months later**

Shirei found herself bouncing back and forth between the training grounds and the academy, where she learned numerous things about becoming a ninja. Although the strange turn of events at the Chuunin exams had brought a disruption in her weekly schedule, Shirei found that her times with team Gai were fantastically boisterous. It was there that she learned to walk on her hands, and it took days for Kakashi to teach her to be upright again. The chuunin exams, did however, instill a fear in her about injury after Rock Lee emerged from the Forest of Death preliminaries with no future as a ninja in sight. For a whole month while Kakashi was away training Sasuke, Iruka had taken her to visit Lee in the hospital. As far as Shirei was concerned, Lee, with the exception of Naruto and her father, was her idol and her hero. Everything she aspired to be, however, there was something else troubling her, on the home front, at least.

Though it had been a slowly incriminating transformation, Shirei could tell that after Kakashi's training with Sasuke, and the showdown between Gaara and Naruto during the Chuunin finals, that her jounin guardian was slowly lacking in morale. Although Shirei did her best not to upset him or give away that she could tell, she tended to leave him alone on the nights that he simply announced he was home, and then retired to his bedroom. One night in particular, Kakashi hadn't even picked her up from school. Now knowing where she lived, Shirei found her own way, however, this behavior was simply un-Kakashi-esque.

From the second day on, Kakashi had never been more than twenty minutes late in picking her up, which, according to Iruka, Naruto, Sakura, Lee, the Hokage and others, were all note-worthy accomplishments. They only wished Kakashi was more punctual for them. This fact alone caused Shirei to see herself in a new way. Kakashi wasn't late for her. He made an exception to be on time for her.

_I am his daughter after all,_ Shirei smiled sadly to herself before wrapping her blue fleece blanket around herself, and wandering into the silent, melancholy atmosphere of Kakashi's room, not knowing exactly what to expect. The sight she found within, however, made her gaze widen.

Sitting on the bed with his face rested in his hands was Hatake Kakashi, and what appeared like blood smeared all over his clothing. That was the least of Shirei's concerns. The look of regret, grief, guilt and self incrimination written on Kakashi's face made her small eyes fill with worry. What had happened to her confident guardian that made him come home with that look in his eye? Whatever it was, she didn't like it.

"Kakashi?" she asked meekly, peeking through the crack in the door before shutting it wearily behind her. Snuggling the blanket around her shoulders, Shirei approached the bed while Kakashi sat ambivalent. It wasn't until Shirei draped her favorite blanket over his shoulders that the jounin looked up to see the concern flooding the child's innocent eyes.

"I don't like to see my daddy sad," Shirei murmured, propping herself up on her knees so she was at eye level with Kakashi. The jounin's normally concealed left eye glowed red in the darkness as he looked at her without his hitai-ate. Although Shirei was unused to seeing it, she remained impassive.

"I'm not your father, Shirei," Kakashi whispered, causing the girl beside him to bite her lip in protest.

"You _are_ too my daddy! You're the one that adopted me so... so that makes you my-"

"I didn't adopt you Shirei," Kakashi continued monotonously. Shirei jolted backwards briefly before she responded shakily.

"B-but I thought-" After Kakashi didn't interrupt or retract his statement, Shirei felt a chill in the air, and a need to take back her blanket. However, she simply sat unmoving by Kakashi. After a few seconds of unattended silence, Shirei hopped off the bed and started to leave. Tears didn't fall however, because this was the third time she'd be separated from someone she cared about. She was tired of crying over these things. She'd shed tears later, but not now. Not when she had to be strong for Kakashi. The best approach to this, right now, would be to leave Kakashi alone.

The jounin, however, would have none of that. Grabbing Shirei's shoulder and spinning her around, Kakashi heaved the little girl into his arms and hugged her to his chest. She could smell the scent of the woods, and of blood and sweat. Before she had time to protest, Kakashi interrupted her train of thought.

"Please don't leave me Shirei. Not you too," he spoke in a frighteningly hushed and desperate voice that made Shirei relax. So legally, he wasn't her father. Technicalities... all little details. But Kakashi needed Shirei right now, and she wasn't going to leave him. Not like this.

The next day, she went with Kakashi to visit Naruto in the hospital. She found out that Sasuke had defected and abandoned the village. She began to cry.

* * *

**6 years later**

"Shirei! Don't even think about failing your genin exam alright?" Uzumaki Naruto threatened as the twelve year old nodded her head, absorbing everything her senpai had to say.

"Be cautious! Don't forget to remember your training!" Sakura chided, pulling Shirei's long chestnut hair into a ponytail down her back. After giving her the once over, both members of team seven agreed that she was ready.

"Remember when we took the exam, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura reminisced to Sasuke, who only shrugged his shoulders. Though Sasuke had returned to the village some time ago, his leaving had left a scar on Shirei's heart, and even now, she eyed him with a wary reverence.

"Bye-bye," Shirei waved as her thin frame disappeared through the halls of the ninja academy as she prepared to for exam. _Okay, opened mind, open thoughts. I'm free like a dove in a tree! Free like a raccoon in a garbage can... _Shirei was taken back by her own analogy as she made her way to the testing classroom for her appointment. Of course, because of her special... inability to form chakra, Shirei was given a more specific test that required all the skills she acquired during her six year, early morning trainings with Lee, Neji and Ten-ten.

Before Shirei even knew it, her test was over in the blink of an eye, much to her relief.

_Phew! That's a load off my pint-sized shoulders. If I failed, otou-san would've been like: "Shirei! Do we need to discuss why you didn't achieve your goal?_ Kakashi, as of late, read way too many parenting novels... in between the pages of Icha Icha paradise.

_And then I'd have to tell him I don't have any chakra! Not that it's a bad thing... but according to him: "the parent/child bond should always be open! No secrets! Remember your three Cs! Communication, compromise and cooperation!"_ Too many parenting novels. As a matter of fact, Kakashi related to his relationship with Shirei in a way that almost resembled Gai and Lee. She'd never tell Kakashi though.

The next day at the academy, the complacent pupils who'd successfully passed (almost all of them) were assigned to separate, three man teams. Shirei tapped anxiously on her desk as she awaited the assignments. They weren't really important to her, so long as her teammates wouldn't hinder her becoming the greatest ninja of all time. Iruka appeared in the room with a list of names, and he peeked over his paper to survey the class, his eyes resting finally on Shirei.

Team 7: Shirei, Hyuuga Hanabi and Daiku Sozomo." Shirei cringed slightly at her lack of last name. Although Shirei found it quite depressing that no one had wanted to adopt her, she found relief in the fact that she was still with Kakashi. It did unnerve her, however, that Kakashi still hadn't tied the knot so to speak. She also had a sneaking suspicion that Tsunadae, the fifth hokage had somewhat buried her file until such time as Kakashi could make a decision, however, it was driving Shirei insane.

Once it became clear that their new sensei was late, Shirei found time to study her team members. Hyuuga Hanabi, female, long brown hair and white eyes fitting of the Hyuuga clan and definitely gentle and sweet like her older sister Hinata. The other member, a boy with spiky silver hair, was shrouded in mystery.

When the newly formed team seven member Shirei no-last-name found out that their group leader was Uzumaki Naruto, Shirei stifled a laugh.

"So, you're the lucky team seven huh? Well I'm your new sensei, Jounin Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto announced, leading his team up to the roof.

"Alright, so, to get to know each other, we're going to play a little game. I'll go first. Hi! I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, and kicking ass. I don't like Sasuke, and people who give up on their friends. Okay! Who wants to go next?" The three newly assigned team seven members exchanged weary glances before Shirei volunteered.

"Naruto, this isn't much of a game-"

"That's Naruto-sensei to you!" he corrected, glaring Shirei down with his intense blue eyes. She finally shrugged her shoulders and submitted.

"Hello, I'm Shirei. No last name, because I'm an orphan. I like hanging out with ninja who are more skilled than me so I can learn, and black berry ice cream. I don't like being ridiculed or people who ridicule others... Oh yeah, and don't talk about me being an orphan, 'cause it kinda sucks," Shirei added thoughtfully, snapping off a stray thread from her forest green, cotton shirt. Naruto glared at her last response.

"Hey! I'm an orphan too if you didn't forget!" He protested, sounding more like an angry child than a nineteen year old, accomplished Jounin. After Shirei and Naruto's discussion about being an orphan, the introducing yourself game that wasn't really a game, fell apart.

After the new team seven had gotten acquainted with each other, they parted ways until two days from now, when it would be Monday and they could start and maintain a normal schedule, if you call having Naruto as a team leader on any day as normal. Naruto found himself watching Shirei walk home, standing and leering over the roof tops and enjoying the feeling of near total omniscience. His overbearing wind was totaled by the presence of his own team leader poofing up behind him. Naruto about-faced.

"Any particular reason you're stalking Shirei?" Kakashi quizzed, tipping to cover of his Icha Icha novel down to gaze into his former pupil's eyes.

"Nope! Just wanted to make sure she still knew where she lived. Not to mention the _old_ team seven has a mission this weekend. Hey! Who're you leaving Shirei with for that?" Naruto asked out of the blue. Kakashi was unfazed by their upcoming mission, and simply shrugged.

"Iruka offered to watch her, but she's old enough to be at home alone for two days," Kakashi reasoned, flipping the page in his book while still keeping half his good eye and one good ear on Naruto.

"She's pretty strong... Shirei I mean. I can't believe she passed the genin exam without any chakra I mean, Fuzzy brows is the only person I know of besides-"

"Hm?" Kakashi interrupted suddenly. The last statement had caught his attention.

"I _said,"_ Naruto reiterated, "that Fuzzy-brows is the only ninja besides Shirei that I know of to not have any chakra. Weird, isn't it?" While Kakashi's cool façade remained complacent on the outside, his interior walls were shaken a bit. How could he have failed to notice that his very own daught- no, _ward_ hadn't any chakra to speak of?

_So THAT'S why Iruka was having her train with Lee and Gai! It all makes perfect sense. But how could I have been blind to it all these years?_ Kakashi mentally slammed his head against the wall. _But she never let on to it. I remember back to what she recalled Zabuza had thought a ninja should have to be successful. Perhaps this idea of not having chakra demolished this ideal, and left her wanting. She must not have wanted too many people to know! But how could I not know? _Once again, Kakashi was faced with a conundrum as Naruto waved good bye and ventured down the road towards the Ichiraku ramen stand while Kakashi continued to watch his surrogate daughter from above.

_Geez! Why can't I have the hots for someone my own age?_ Naruto chastised himself over and over until he'd finally shaken Shirei out of his head for a few minutes. Now she was back. She was in his team even! He'd have to look upon and train her everyday for the next couple of years until she was a self standing, self sufficient ninja. _I've known her practically her whole life! And I'm still in lov- NO, it... it's not love. It can't be,_ Naruto allowed himself to lean against the wall of his apartment, staring blankly out the darkening windows as the afternoon melted into evening and he was left alone.

"Why'd it have to be her?"

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Meow! Naruto fluffiness! Review!

DMar


	4. Loop Holes and Retaliation

Tears Up Final installment! OMG, I had soooo much fun writing this!

* * *

**5 Years Later**

"Shirei-chan, wake up. The Hokage wants to see you," Kakashi whispered, jostling his seventeen year old half-sort of daughter out of her restless sleep. She'd just come back from a long mission and had been traveling late into the night. Even though it was 11 am, she was exhausted.

"Too... Early," Shirei muttered, turning onto her side and pulling her pillow over her head to try and repel her unwelcome wake-up wagon. Before Shirei had another chance to protest however, Kakashi ripped the covers off her bed and dragged her by her off by her legs.

"Why can't you be like normal parents and hassle me to death! No! I had to get a father who MAN-HANDLES me! Help! I'm being attacked!" Shirei attempted to shout through the walls of Kakashi's house, much to Kakashi's displeasure. Attempting to silence her, the jounin slung Shirei up and over his back. Now she had no where to run.

"Quiet Shirei or I'll throw you out the window," the silver haired jounin threatened. However, Shirei, glaring at him from over his shoulder, merely sighed.

"We only live two stories up, and need I remind you that ninjas worse than me have survived greater falls," Shirei stated matter-of-factly.

"Perhaps we should test that theory," Kakashi smiled mischievously through his mask and walked towards the kitchen where there were no windows, and soon, the brown haired girl was relieved from her uncomfortable position on Kakashi's shoulder.

"And WHY would the Hokage call for me at this time of day? I mean, Does she know what time it is?" Shirei snapped sarcastically, knowing full well that it was around noon, and that she had simply been a little jet-lagged from running all night.

"Ask her when you see her, but we gotta get going," Kakashi confirmed as Shirei rushed to get ready.

The halls of the Hokage building were strangely bare and empty, and an uncomfortable shudder ran up Shirei's spine. Kakashi and Shirei were escorted by Shizune into Tsunadae's office where she sat ominously behind the large wooden desk; her purple nailed fingers laced contemplatively in front of her youthful face.

Behind the Hokage stood a strange looking man that bore a hitai-ate (head band) branded with the insignia of the Sand country. Shirei didn't like sand, especially after her run in last summer when Naruto, and her team had come across some nasty giant sand cobras that definitely left a scar in Shirei's memories. Kakashi also noticed the man and began to feel slightly awkward and baffled by his presence. Normally the Hokage would not call an audience for a meeting. Suddenly, a feeling of dread speared over Kakashi's normally stoic face. Although he'd been with Shirei for 10 years... he'd never legally adopted her. It never had crossed his mind at the time, but if someone DID want to adopt her, he'd lose her forever.

"Kakashi, this is Lord Shibuya. He'd like to take Shirei to the village of the sand." Shirei, became suddenly startled and she threw frightened glances back and forth from Kakashi to the Hokage. Kakashi's eyes narrowed in suspicion, though he didn't trust himself enough to answer any of the Hokage's questions, let alone his own.

"W-what do you _mean_ he wants to take me there? I'm not some sort of slave or child bride or-"

"Shirei, he wants to adopt you. He heard of your astounding triumph over the forty giant sand cobras. Apparently you're quite the legend in the Sand country," Tsunadae explained with a wink, which quickly turned to that of a serious expression when she noticed Kakashi's apprehension.

"Considering Shirei is still a legal minor, and her file has been collecting dust for this past decade (has it really been that long?) Shibuya decided to take the initiative for you. After he fills out the forms, you'll be free to leave with him to the Sand country as early as... Hm, oh wait. Today is Friday... and the process takes two business days, so you'll be here until next Tuesday," Tsunadae counted on her finger the number of days and mentally calculated the date. "Shirei, you have until then to get your affairs straightened out. Come Tuesday, it'll be off to the Sand country with you." After the silence that ensued, the Hokage sighed deeply and stared accusingly at Kakashi. Although she didn't say anything, her simple, devastating look contained thousands of harsh words directed at the one person who could've prevented this.

"I have a 12:15 appointment, so scram," she ordered the motley pair as they dragged themselves half heartedly out of the room. As soon as they were without the demanded propriety of the Hokage's presence, Shirei glared angrily at Kakashi. She was too hurt for words. Years and years ago, nine or more, Kakashi, after dealing with the heart break of Sasuke's departure, impeded on Shirei her importance to him. _Some importance! He doesn't even want me,_ Shirei reasoned. Normally, she retained the standard ninja composure of belated peppiness, but now, tears clouded her vision and she drew in a shuddering breath before walking restrainedly down the corridor, with Kakashi tailing guiltily behind.

"Shirei, I-"

"I don't want to talk to you," Shirei sniffed, wiping the back of her hand across her face now streaming with tears.

When they arrived back at the house. Shirei refused any contact with her guardian. Words didn't even describe the anguish she was feeling. Because of him, she would have to leave her home and the place she'd grown to love. Because of him, she'd have to leave all her friends and famil- no, she didn't have any family. _And I guess I never really did,_ Shirei sobbed as she began ripping her clothes out of her closet and drawers and throwing them unceremoniously into her suitcase. Kakashi had abandoned her. That moment nine years ago when Kakashi asked her not to leave... and she didn't, she thought it at least meant something to him.

But after all the commitment she'd brought into the traditional parent-child relationship, Kakashi hadn't even bothered to finalize it by signing a few ridiculous documents. The fury rose up into her honey colored eyes as she hefted the suitcase onto her shoulder and stomped out into the hall. Before she made it to the door however, Kakashi caught her by her wrist and wrenched the suitcase from her.

"Where're you going?" Kakashi asked causally as if it wouldn't be the last time he'd see her in his house.

"To Iruka-sensei. Maybe _he'll_ adopt me before it's too late," Shirei spat, attempting to wrest her bag out of Kakashi's iron grip.

"Don't blame this on me," Kakashi whispered, finally locking gazes with his furious adolescent charge.

"What're you talking about! It's all your fault! I've lived with you more than half my life and you didn't even bother to make me your child? What's wrong with you?" Shirei had lost her cool when the tears had once again started rolling, and before Kakashi even realized what he was saying, he retorted precociously.

"It's not my fault no one wanted to adopt you." Shirei's anger dissipated into utter betrayal and leaving her suit case in her guardians grip, she tore exasperated through the house and jumped out her second story window and headed towards the one destination she felt safe. Not that Kakashi knew where that was.

* * *

"Shirei? What're you doing here?" Naruto asked through a mouthful of ramen. Realizing he had company and a messy apartment, he quickly wiped his mouth on his sleeve, kicked some of his dirty laundry into the closet and opened the door to let the troubled girl inside. Shirei blushed as she looked upon her team leader, standing shirtless in the doorway.

"Oh! Sorry," he stuttered, pulling on one of his orange jackets that lay discarded on his floor. _What in the heck is she doing here? I'd never thought she'd visit me like this... or under these odd circumstances. _

"Naruto, you won't tell anyone I'm here, will you?" she pleaded, her honey eyes brimming with tears and her quivering lip seeking an answer.

"First of all, I'd like to know who's looking for you. It's not the law is it Shirei? Because I can't protect you-"

"Everyone will be soon," Shirei whispered, taking a seat on Naruto's couch and sighing. She buried her face in her hands before Naruto spoke again, taking a seat beside her.

"Look. I can tell whatever's going on in your life is tough now, and I know you'll get through it. Don't worry Shirei, I'm here for you," Naruto comforted, rubbing her shoulders to console her.

After Shirei had told Naruto the whole story, he let out a whistle.

"Geez Shirei! This can't be happening! We just got assigned this great mission!" Shirei looked at him skeptically before she realized he was kidding.

"I know I've got to go with this guy Shibuya, but it's not fair! The only family I've ever known is you guys... this place! And now, they want to rip it away from me all over some stupid little thing Kakashi did... or didn't do like, a bazillion years ago! I mean, doesn't him watching over me count for something?" Shirei cried out exasperated. Naruto shrugged and ran his hands through his spiky blonde hair.

"I really don't know Shirei. I'm not a lawyer or anything, but something's gotta give here," Naruto decided, standing up and pulling Shirei to her feet after him. After hearing Shirei's story and knowing the pain he would feel when she left would be too devastating, he had decided to act. Not rationally, but action was needed, he affirmed. "I'll adopt you, Shirei."

* * *

"What do you mean he got here first? Doesn't she get a choice in the matter?" Naruto demanded of the fifth hokage as she sat unmoving behind her desk.

"I'm sorry Naruto, Shirei can't be bid on. First come first serve."

"Hey! I'm not a product okay? I have feelings, and I don't want to go with that guy-"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice Shirei. Neither of you were quick on the draw," Tsunadae nodded indicating both Naruto now, and Kakashi earlier.

"Please! There must be a way to negate the contract! I don't want to go!" Shirei began to cry, leaning against Naruto as they stood in the center of the hokage's office. Tsunadae looked upon the scene sympathetically before growling in annoyance.

"Naruto, are you intent on saving Shirei from this fate?" she barked, looking uneasily back and forth from Shirei to Naruto.

"Ill do anything." This earned a smile from the Hokage.

"Then I'll draw up the papers immediately!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and watching the two confused teens glance at one another in confusion.

"P-papers for what?" Shirei asked uncertainly.

"The wedding of course!"

Shirei fainted noiselessly, and Naruto captured her limp body before it fell to the floor.

"I have to marry her?" Naruto gaped, looking down at his secret and forbidden crush's unconscious body.

"Unless you'd rather have her shipped off to the sand village-"

"No! No, I'll do it," Naruto erupted, slinging Shirei up in his arms and heading back to his house.

_This thing's been in my hair all day!_ Tsunadae sighed, flipping through her massive filing cabinets and pulling out the marriage contracts she kept above the file labeled "Gambling Debts."

_I'm glad Naruto came forward finally! Geez, did it take the brat that long to figure out his feelings? I guess it was kind of sudden. I just hope Shirei is still okay with it when she comes to._

It had been three days since Shirei had spoken with Kakashi, however, since Naruto and her wedding was tomorrow, she felt she should inform him. It was courteous after all, and since Shirei believed firmly in the belief that you should do unto others what you would have done unto you, she slipped by his house after a brief training session to visit. Peeking in the windows, which she found to be dark, Shirei sashayed around to the back door and opened it silently.

"Kakashi?" she whispered into the shadowy interior. No answer. _Odd. Normally He'd be back home by now._ Shirei tip-toed into the house and found no signs of life, except for a dark, sleeping form on the couch. Ghosting down the back rest of the sofa, Shirei found herself curled up next to Kakashi, whose face was covered by his mask and with his Icha Icha book on his chest as though he'd fallen asleep reading it.

_I hope he didn't wait up all this time for me!_ Shirei bit her lip, feeling a twinge of guilt creep up the hairs on her neck. Sitting contently next to Kakashi, she let out a long sigh. Even if he hadn't adopted her, it wouldn't matter now. She was marrying Naruto, and she'd get to stay. Nearly all her anger had dissipated as she sat there, resting her head on Kakashi's stomach, listening to him breathe like she used to over nine years ago.

_He was afraid,_ inner Shirei noted, rifling through all the memories she could derive from that one sentence. _Remember when you tried to ride your first bike? And he wouldn't let go of you until your face mask was snapped shut and your mouth guard was in place? _In one moment of clarity, Shirei realized why her guardian had never adopted her. It wasn't the commitment or the responsibility... he was afraid to let her down. Afraid that he wouldn't be up to the parental expectation she needed to grow.

_Well that's silly! He's practically the only thing I've known! _Shirei's honey colored eyes softened as she removed the dirty adult novel off of Kakashi's chest and pulled his head band free to allow him a more comfortable sleep. He stirred slightly at the contact before his mismatched grey and red eyes blinked open hesitantly.

"Shirei?" he whispered hoarsely before shooting to a bolt upright position and embracing Shirei in a nearly smothering hug. It caught Shirei by such surprise, that she didn't get two words in before Kakashi started having some sort of nervous tantrum.

"Shirei! I was so worried! It's all my fault, don't leave again, I didn't mean what I said! I don't even know what came over me and-"

"You're ranting," Shirei interrupted, smiling as she looked into the genuine expression of remorse in Kakashi's eyes.

"Shirei... I've only ever thought of you as my daughter-"

"Well that's good," Shirei cut him off once more. "...Because I've only ever thought of you as my father."

A comfortable silence settled onto the room after Kakashi realized he'd been forgiven, and therefore, forgave himself. A short while passed before someone finally spoke again.

"I won't let them take you to the Sand country," Kakashi decided unwaveringly, continuing to stroke his daughter's light, soft hair. Shirei pulled away suddenly from his warm grasp and scratched her head as though she had something to say.

"Um, I won't have to go... on one condition." Kakashi was shocked at this new revelation, but accepted it as a good thing... before he waited for the catch.

"All you have to do is walk me down the aisle."

The men from the Sand country had decided to shove off early considering they weren't bringing back who they set out to return with. Shirei sat restlessly with her soon to be husband in the office of the Hokage, who was set to marry them at sundown Sunday afternoon. Although it was going to be quick and painless: no church, no fancy white dress, no bridesmaids or after party, Shirei couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

_I always thought I'd be marrying the love of my life in a HUGE chapel... and I'd have six bridesmaids and me and my true love would ride away in a giant limousine to our six room apartment where we'd make sweet love on our honeymoon in Hawaii. I guess this'll change that,_ Shirei ground her teeth anxiously stealing a glance at Naruto, who sat looking twice as apprehensive as his wife-to-be. Finally getting the courage to look at Shirei, Naruto sighed.

He could tell that happiness was the last thing on her mind right now. Kakashi, Sakura, Hanabi-chan, Iruka, Gai and Lee were all waiting in the outside room while Tsunadae prepared the ceremony. Feeling bolder at that particular moment, Naruto reached over and laid his hand on top of Shirei's With a surprised 'Oh!' Shirei looked up suddenly to see Naruto's warm blue eyes shining back at her. Her action however, caused Naruto to withdraw his hand as a blush spread madly across his face.

"Oh! Sorry, I just, um, you looked a little-"

"You looked a little... too." Shirei smiled, pulling Naruto's warm hand back on top of her own. _Naruto said earlier that as soon as we were in the clear, we'd annul the marriage... But... _Shirei's thoughts trailed off as Tsunadae finally joined them.

"Now kiss to make it final," Tsunadae ordered pushing the two ninja closer together. Shirei's eyes became wide with anticipation and suspense. Shireis held her breath, anxiety building in her chest as the silence becamse longer and longer. Naruto's blush was spreading across his cheeks as he leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against the smaller girl's. _My first kiss! With Naruto? I guess it wasn't what I was expecting... no, it was better than what I was expecting. _Naruto pulled away after he slipped the simply gold ring on Shirei's hand leaving his large, tan fingers to intertwine with her gentle, pale ones. The tingling feeling within Shirei's mouth lingered as her and Naruto reconvened with the rest of the witnesses to their marriage, and before there was time for them to leave, Tsunadae came forward with a signed adoption document. Not belonging to the creepy sand nin, Shibuya, but by her own father, Kakashi.

After the wedding had dispersed, for it was a meager wedding indeed, Kakashi and Naruto remained with Shirei at the humble Hatake household. The house was silent for a while as the three stood uncomfortably in the living room, waiting for someone to break the unyielding quiet.

"Shirei, about the wedding, I-" Naruto began, but faded off. He knew they had to... divorce. She couldn't be tied down to him like that! It was unfair to her. _But what about me?_ Naruto wondered silently as he took a seat on the far side of the couch away from Kakashi and Shirei.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow," Kakashi smiled, patting Naruto on the shoulder in a silent gesture of thanks before nodding towards the bedroom. "Shirei, time for you to go to bed," he ordered gently, leading Naruto to the door as Shirei wordlessly succumbed to her guardian's wishes. Naruto breathed a sigh as he walked down the vacant streets of Konoha.

"I'll just have to accept what tomorrow will bring," he told himself confidently. At least Shirei would get to stay. _And that's the sacrifice I made. And even though I'll have to live with it... it was worth it._

"Night night daddy," Shirei cooed softly as she wiggled under the covers, purposely looking contrite and awkward like she would've years ago when she used such a baby voice to refer to Kakashi.

"Night," he smiled before closing the door and leaving his daughter in peace.

_Dear Diary,_ Shirei chuckled, realizing she had no diary, but continued anyway, summing up her day in the fashion of a bad 90's sitcom.

_This was an interesting week. I was nearly taken away to be an idol for a crazy village in the desert, and in order to avoid that I got married at seventeen to my team leader and crush who's also acted like my brother for these past ten years. I was finally adopted by the man who I considered my dad my whole life anyway, and the weird part is... I wouldn't have it any other way._

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Yeowza! Tell me what you thought pretty pwease! Review por favor!

DMar


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